1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a drum used for transporting goods, and more particularly to a fiber drum for containing material including liquid or semi-liquid materials which is reusable and/or recyclicable.
2. Description of Prior Art
Cylindrical containers such as drums have been used for a long time as a means of storing or transporting a variety of materials including powdery or granular solids, or liquids and semi liquids. These containers are built to withstand the exigencies of transit. The materials stored in them are removed by first removing the top of the containers and then pouring or pumping the materials out.
Drums are sometimes used to store so-called semi-liquid materials such as adhesives, lubricants, hazardous material or other material that would contaminate or leave contaminants on or in the interior surface thereof. Such drums are normally used once and then discarded since the interior has become contaminated with the material it contained. Disposal and even recycling of such drums because of this is difficult. It has become desirable to provide drums however that may be reused or subject to recycling. The use of the plastic lined fiber drum although found to be permanently satisfactory in many applications suffers certain draw backs.
First, the drum is typically made of a plurality of fiber laminations glued together with the coating bonded to the inner most layer. This inner most layer, depending upon the application, may be plain kraft, foil covered, parchment-covered, silicone treated, waxed or other types of treatment depending upon the product to be shipped. In view of the shipped material contaminating the interior surface of the inner portion such recycling is difficult since the liner must be recycled separately from that of the fiber board. This makes the processing of recycling the fiber drum not only difficult but relatively unmanageable since the drum must either be processed separately or the liner removed.
As to the reusable nature of the lined drum, often times a certain amount of the contents either binds with or migrates into the liner. This may involve a toxic or hazardous material. Accordingly, the chemicals bound to the liner or which have migrated therein may serve to render reuse impossible or otherwise contaminate the contents of the drum upon reuse.